Sterilizing support for hypodermic needle containers



y 1958 c.. B. MESSER, SR., ET AL 2,333,007

STERILIZ-ING SUPPORT FOR HYPODERMIC NEEDLE CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 11,1957 2 Sheet-Sheet l 'Hlllllllln u u -L INVENTORJ 4 3g DouAu: Eamon.

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STERILIZING SUPPORT FOR HYPODERMIC NEEDLE CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 11, 19572 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 38 so '26 3'7 TxcaA 35 T166 26 5 A \Y f '22 25 25 J61.8 I! I is.

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INVENTORS Donmu: EJZuacue d: Lama/l 5. MEssER, SK.

nited States STERILIZING SUPPORT FOR HYPGDERMIC NEEDLE CGNTAINERSCarroll B. Messer, Sn, and Donald E. Riddle, Lake City, Fla.

This invention relates 'to support devices, and more particularly to asupport device adapted to hold hypodermic needle containers while theyare being sterilized.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedsterilizing support device for holding containers with hypodermicneedles therein during the sterilization of the needles and forfacilitating the sealing of the containers after such sterilization, thedevice being simple in construction, being easy to manipulate, andserving to prevent handling of the containers until they are completelysealed subsequent to the sterilization process.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved sterilizingsupport for hypodermic needle containers, said support being inexpensiveto fabricate, being durable in construction, being compact in size, andbeing arranged so that the risk of contamination of hypodermic needlesafter sterilization is substantially eliminated.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hypodermic needle sterilizer supportdevice according to the present invention, shown set up for use.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view taken on theline 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view takenon the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view, similar toFigure 3, but showing the apparatus after the cover plate thereof hasbeen depressed to seal the sterilized hypodermic needle containers.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view taken on theline 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the frame portion of the apparatus ofFigure l, with the top cover plate removed.

Referring to the drawings, the improved sterilizing support apparatus isdesignated generally at 11 and comprises a main bottom frame 12 and aremovable cover plate 35 which is engagea-ble over the bottom frame 12,as will be presently described. The bottom frame 12 comprises ahorizontal bottom plate 14 secured at its end portions to transverselyextending supporting brackets 15, 15 having the downturned end legs 16,whereby an end leg 16 is provided at each corner of the bottom plate 14.Formed integrally with the bottom plate 14 are the longitudinal verticalfront and rear walls 17, 17, and integrally formed with the top ends ofsaid longitudinal walls is the horizontal top plate 18.

The top plate 18 and the bottom plate 14 are formed with a plurality ofpairs of vertically aligned apertures 19 and 20 adapted to receiverespective vertically positioned hypodermic needle containers 21 invertical positions, with the containers supported by their enlargedcylindrical top portions 22, said top portions being connected to themain body portions of the containers 21 by conical neck members 23. Saidconical neck members 23 are engageablewith the top plate 18 to supportthe containers 21 in vertical positions in the manner illustrated inFigures 3, 4 and 6.

"heenlarged top portions 22 of the hypodermic needle containers areformed with vent openings 25, and engaged onsaid enlarged top portions22 are caps 26 of suitable sealing material, such as rubber or otherresilicnt deformable material, the caps 26 being slidable on thecylindrical top portions 22 of the containers 21. Thus, the cap member26 may be arranged in elevated positions on the portions 22 of thecontainers to expose the apertures 25 when the containers, with thehypodermic needles disposed therein, are placed in the apparatuspreliminary to sterilization.

Designated at 28, 28 are respective vertical studs which are threadedlysecured in the opposite end portions of the frame 12, for example, beingengaged through and threadedly secured in the opposite end portions ofbottom plate 14 and the subjacent transverse bracket member 15, andbeing locked thereto by lock nuts 29, as shown in Figure 3. The studs 28extend through the top plate 18 and project a substantial distancethereabove. The top ends of the studs 28 are provided with enlargedportions 30, 30 having rounded top ends. Respective washers 31, 31 areengaged on the stud members 28 and are urged against the bottom ends ofthe enlarged members 31), 30 by respective coiled springs 32, 32 mountedon the top portions of the stud members 28 and bearing between thewashers 31 and the top plate 18.

Rigidly secured to the intermediate portion of the bottom plate 14 andextending through top plate 18 for a substantial distance is a. studmember 33 having a threaded top portion on which a thumb nut 34 isengaged.

Designated at 35 is a top cover plate which is of channel shapeconstruction, as shown, having the depending longitudinal flanges 36,36. The cover plate 35 is substantially the same in width as the frame12 but projects a substantial distance longitudinally past therespective ends of said frame 12. The cover plate 35 is provided withrespective apertures and guide sleeves 37 at said apertures adapted toreceive the enlarged upper portions 30, 30 of the studs 28, 28, and toguide the cover plate 35 for vertical movement relative to the frame 12.The cover plate 35 is apertured to receive the upper end portion of thestud 33, in the manner shown in Figure 5, and to allow the thumb nut 34to be engaged on the threaded upper portion of the stud 33 to secure thecover plate 35 in a depressed position, as will be presently described.

Respective knurled handle grip elements 38, 38 are provided on theopposite ends of the cover plate 35, said handles 38 comprisinglongitudinally slotted cylindrical members which may be slipped over therespective opposite transverse edges of the cover plate and may befrictionally or otherwise secured to said cover plate in the positionsthereof shown in Figure 1.

In using the apparatus, the containers 21, having the hypodermic needlestherein, are placed in the bottom frame 12, the cover plate 35 beingremoved. When thus inserted in the bottom frame, the containers 21 arearranged in the manner illustrated in Figure 3, with their sealing caps26 elevated above the vent apertures 25 of the enlarged top portions 22of the containers. The cover plate 35 is then placed over the bottomframe, being engaged on the enlarged top portions 30, 31B of thevertical studs 28, 28 and being supported on the washers 31. The thumbnut 34 is then engaged on the upper portions cedure has been completed,the cover plate 35 is depressed, by exerting force on the oppositehandles 38, the force being simultaneously applied to both oppositehandles, whereby the top plate 35 is moved downwardly and moves thesealing caps 26 downwardly to cover the vent openings 25. The nut 34 isthen tightened, providing the conditions illustrated in Figures and 6.After the apparatus has cooled, the nut 34 may be loosened, allowing thecover plate 35 to be removed, and providing access to the containers 21,which maybe thereafter handled without any risk of internalcontamination, since they are sealed by their caps 26. Q

As will be readily apparent, by the use of the apparatus abovedescribed, the containers 21 may be thoroughly sterilized and may bethereafter sealed without requiring any handling thereof manually. Thecover plate 35 remains over the sterilizing containers 21 until the laststeps of the procedure have been completed, namely, until it is desiredto remove the containers 21 from the rack 12.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the depending flanges 36 of the cover plate35 are engageable with the opposite longitudinal side edges of the topplate 18 when the cover plate 35 is depressed, and may be thus fastenedby the tightening of the nut 34- to secure the cover plate 35 inprotective overlying relationship with respect to the sealing caps 26 ofthe container 21 so as to protect the top portions of the containers andthe sealing caps 26 against any mechanical disturbance, whereby there isno possibility of the containers 21 becoming contaminated until thecover plate is removed.

While a specific embodiment of an improved sterilizing support apparatusfor hypodermic needle containers has been disclosed in the foregoingdescription, it will be understood that various modifications within thespirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art.Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the inventionexcept as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sterilizing support for hypodermic needle containers of the typehaving cover caps which may be moved downwardly to seal the containerscomprising a frame including a horizontal top plate, a horizontal bottomplate and means rigidly connecting said plates in vertically spacedrelation," said plates being formed with vertically aligned apertures toreceive hypodermic needle containers, a plurality of vertical,upstanding guide rods on said frame, a cover plate slidably engaged oversaid guide rods, and spring means yieldingly supporting said cover plateabove said top plate, said cover plate being movable downwardly at timessufficiently to engage tr e cover caps of the hypodermic needlecontainers.

2. in a sterilizing device for hypodermic needles, a frame including ahorizontal top plate, a horizontal bottom plate and means rigidlyconnecting said plates in rcrtically spaced relation, said plates beingformed with vertically aligned apertures, tubular hypodermic needlecontainers mounted in said vertically aligned apertures, said containersbeing formed with vent apertures at their upper ends, respectivedownwardly movable sealing caps on the upper ends of the containers, aplurality of vertical, upstanding guide rods on said frame, a coverplate slidably engaged over said guide rods, and spring means yieldablysupporting said cover plate above said top plate, said cover plate beingmovable downwardly at times sufficiently to engage the sealing caps ofthe hypodermic needle containers and to move the sealing caps downwardlysufiiciently to cover the vent apertures in the upper ends of thecontainers.

3. A sterilizing support for hypodermic needle containers of the typehaving cover caps which may be moved downwardly to seal the containerscomprising a frame including a horizontal top plate, a horizontal bottomplate and means rigidly connecting said plates in vertically spacedrelation, said plates being formed with vertically aligned apertures toreceive hypodermic needle containers, a plurality of vertical,upstanding guide rods on said frame, a cover plate slidably engaged oversaid guide References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,435,994 Zukerman Feb. 17, 1943 2,454,602 Gunther Nov. 23, 19482,523,877 Pestolesi Sept. 26, 1950 2,557,420 Elliott June 19, 1951

